


Dance with the Devil

by Angel_of_the_Starz



Category: The Facts of Life
Genre: Best Friends, Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, F/F, F/M, Friendship, Gang Violence, Gangs, Gangsters, Marriage
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-06
Updated: 2017-09-30
Packaged: 2018-08-29 10:41:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,593
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8486239
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Angel_of_the_Starz/pseuds/Angel_of_the_Starz
Summary: Set after series finale. Jo, Blair, Natalie, and Tootie head to New York City for a reunion trip, hoping to catch up after the summer of 1988 quickly broke them up. Everyone is excited for the chance to reunite, but Jo Polniaczek-Bonner finds herself wrapped up in the gang she abruptly left upon being accept into Eastland and moving to Peekskill. In her attempts to keep her friends safe and out of harm’s way, Jo finds herself stretched to the limit -her marriage following suit- as she finds herself dancing with her inner demons.





	1. I

Jo Polniaczek-Bonner grumbled in annoyance as a bundle of silverware she had recently finished washing and drying fell back into the sink, stewing the soapy water. Exhaling sharply through her nose, she continued to wash the dish in her hands, ignoring the water that was seeping into the orange gloves she was wearing. She glanced out the window into her spacious backyard. She smiled gently at the greenery, the colorful blend of flowers lining the patio, and then small koi pond off to the right of the patio.

A couple with a young child entered her field of vision as they walked along the path a bit beyond her backyard. The little boy was skipping happily along the dirt road, waving a long stick around in the air. He paused when he spotted Jo at the window, smiling brightly and waving. Before Jo could move, the mother spotted her and frowned. The father rushed forward and picked his son up before scurrying down the path and out of sight, his wife behind him.

Jo clicked her tongue, reaching up and roughly pulling the curtains closed. She finished washing the dishes, placing them in the drying rack in the sink on the left, before pulling the plug and letting the water drain out as she peeled off the orange gloves and placed them along the edge of the sink, allowing them to drip dry.

Grabbing a pair of work gloves, she slipped them into her pocket before taking a water can and filling it up in the sink. Jo made herself a sandwich as she waited for the container to fill up. Upon finishing her food, she turned the water off and headed towards the front of the house. Opening the front door, and pushing on the screen, she stepped outside and made her way towards the mailbox.

A neighbor was out in their yard, watering the plants with a hose. The minute he spotted Jo, he smiled gently, waving. Jo nodded her head in his direction as she reached her mailbox. Finding it empty, she stuffed her hands into her pockets, making her way back to the house.

"How are you doing today?" the neighbor called out. Jo paused and turned to face him. "You know, I've been your husband's neighbor for years, and I've never seen him this happy."

"I'm well," she answered quietly. "Thank you." Jo walked back into her house, quickly shutting the door behind her. She let out a huge breath before shedding her shoes and socks. Bundling up the socks, she tossed them onto the couch as she quickly entered and exited the living room and moved back into the kitchen. Grabbing the full watering can, she opened the back door and stepped out onto the patio.

Jo hummed an old Polish tune to herself as she began to water her garden. A bee buzzed around a few flowers, collecting pollen. She made sure to water those few flowers as soon as it left, making herself busy by cleaning up stray leaves and twigs from the flower beds. After noticing that the bee still hadn't vacated the area, she briefly stepped inside the house before exiting with a yoga mat.

Walking over to the side of her house, Jo gently laid the mat down on the cool ground. She sat down and began to take a few deep breaths, lightly clasping her hands together. Breathing deeply, she began to move through various yoga poses. The light chatter from birds, the sound of the leaves rustling in the wind, and the voices of her neighbors provided background noise, calming her, as she continued with her exercise.

Jo tensed up when she heard loud shouting come from behind her. The father, from the small family that had walked behind her house, was alone but rapidly storming toward her. His face was red and set in a snarl, his eyes pulled into a harsh stare. Jo cleared her throat and lifted her head, gazing at him as he immediately stopped a few feet away from her, as if he were shocked by an invisible fence collar.

"I knew it was you," the guy calmly said, a complete opposite to his body's demeanor. "Jo Polniaczek. The girl who ran away, but left a huge mess of my life behind."

"I'm sorry, but, I don't know you," she answered firmly.

"If only you did. Then you'd know how much pain and problems you caused." The man then nodded towards her house. "Does he know? Does your husband know about the real Jo Polniaczek?"

Before she could answer, her watch beeped loudly, breaking the silence. Glancing down at the digital display, she took note of the time, tapping the glass face twice before looking back up at the man, who was eyeing her very closely. "He knows enough," she muttered.

Jo slowly climbed to her feet, her jaw set, her lips pulled into a thin line as she watched the man walk away. She pulled the mat off of the ground and stormed back into the house, after watering the flowers she had missed from the bee hovering around. Jo turned on the shower and jumped inside, neglecting to shed her clothes. She gasped in shock as the ice cold water splashed over her body. Pulling her hair down from a ponytail, Jo ran her fingers through her dark locks, her muscles tensing, silently focusing on the cold water, letting her anger flow down the drain along with the excess water and sweat.

After taking a shower and changing clothes, Jo re-entered her bedroom and walked over to the closet. Pulling a suitcase from a corner, she threw it onto the bed before moving around the room, haphazardly throwing some clothing and shoes inside.

The sound of a door opening and closing instantly caused her Jo to tense up. She felt her pulse match the sound of footsteps heading up the stairs, getting closer and closer. A spicy, yet clean scent filled her nose, announcing her husband's arrival.

"Hey Jo," Rick said quietly. He placed a hand on her shoulder, lightly kissing the back of her head. Jo ignored him, zipping her suitcase close and pulling it off of the bed. Rick muttered quietly underneath his breath, running a hand through his hair. "We should talk about this," he insisted.

"Talk about what?" she snapped. "You already made your decision. May I add, you also didn't talk to me about it first?" Jo pulled the handle of her suitcase up before storming out of the room. She led it clomp loudly down the stairs behind her as she headed toward the front door. Rick hurried after her, placing his hand onto the door and pushing it close. Jo looked up at him with a harsh glare. "Move," she demanded.

"Jo, I love you. You know that," Rick said gently, "but you always seems to run away from your problems, and-"

"I'm not running away!" Jo shouted. Her husband reached up and ran a hand over her face. She slowly curled and uncurled her fingers, focusing on evening out her breathing. "I'm going to meet up with my friends," she said calmly.

Rick slowly shook his head. "The Jo I married-"

"Well, then maybe you don't know the real me," she snapped. Slapping his hand away from the door, she wrenched it open, ignoring the door almost striking Rick in the face. She pulled her suitcase behind her, the wheels bouncing over the cobblestones of the walkway as she headed towards the waiting taxi, the GPS set for the airport.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tags and Archive Warnings will all gradually be updated. Some warnings may be placed at the beginning of some chapters depending on its content. 
> 
> Please let me know what you think!
> 
> Follow my new twitter, [@AngelofStarzFFN](https://twitter.com/AngelofStarzFFN), for updates on all of my works!


	2. II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Follow my new twitter, [@AngelofStarzFFN](https://twitter.com/AngelofStarzFFN), for updates on all of my works!

"Where is Jo?" Tootie cried, throwing her hands up into the air. She glance at her watch in disgust, before turning and making another trip around the small table Blair and Natalie were sitting at. The two had their elbows on the table, holding their face with their hands, their eyes following Tootie's path. Well, Blair had her forearms rested on the edge of the table. "She's late! She should have been here-"

"Three minutes ago," Blair and Natalie mumbled.

"I mean, we all set up this time specifically to meet up," Tootie continued. She huffed impatiently as her route was blocked by a mother pushing a stroller in between the tables. The woman looked at her for a brief moment before quickening her steps. "Jo even picked this place! If she took the right flight out and picked the number twenty-six bus, she should have been here at-"

"3:24," Blair and Natalie responded.

Natalie leaned over and bumped Blair with her elbow, grabbing her friend's attention. "If she's not here by 3:25, Tootie may end up missing," she hissed through clenched teeth." I mean, that'd be easy here. It happens all the time." Natalie straightened up before flinching as Tootie flopped down in an empty seat. "Tootie, calm down will you?"

"But Jo is always on time," Tootie huffed. She crossed her arms over her chest before slumping a bit in her seat. Her lips pulled into a frown. "Heck, she's normally the first person to be somewhere."

"She's probably being fashionably late," Blair suggested with a shrug. She looked at her two friends before bursting into laughter. Natalie and Tootie shared a look before watching as their friend slowly composed herself. "What am I saying, it's Jo." She cleared her throat before reaching into her bag and pulled out a small device. "Why don't we just call her on her cell phone?"

"Blair," Natalie said slowly, her knee began to bounce rapidly causing the table to shake. She reached up and scratched one of her eyebrows before exhaling sharply through her nose. "The only people who have cell phones are-"

"Rich?" Blair interrupted. Tootie and Natalie shared a look. The two then grabbed a handful of napkins from the table, crumbled them up, and tossed them at Blair, lightly striking her in the face and the chest. The three erupted into gales of laughter. People at other tables turned to look at them before resuming their lunches.

Natalie glanced at her watch before jumping up from the table. Tootie grabbed Natalie's wrist in a tight grip and glared at the face of the wrist watch. She then took another glance at the man talking on his cellphone "I'm going to the bathroom," Natalie announced, yanking her arm back.

"Take Tootie with you," Blair suggested. "Judging by the look on her face, I think she's about to steal that guy's phone." She dropped her cellphone back into her purse and picked up a small compact mirror instead. Flipping on pen the lid, she

"Well what a great welcome. Just _you_ ," Jo said, rolling her eyes. She dropped her bag next to the table, watching as Blair looked up at her, snapping the compact mirror close.

"Jo," Blair all but cooed. She got up from her seat and move to wrap her friend in a hug before pausing, looking her up and. "Looking… _plain_ as always," she finished with a half-smile. Jo smirked before embracing her friend.

"Hey B, how have you been?" she muttered into her blonde curls.

"Fantastic," Blair answered once they pulled apart. "I just got into the city this morning. Let me tell you, some at Eastland weren't happy that I took the day off." She pouted lightly. Jo regarded her with a raised eyebrow.

"Did you by any chance have some big meeting today?"

"Oh, just a few things with the Board." Jo scoffed before slowly shaking her head. "It can be rescheduled."

"Finally!" Tootie shouted. She threw herself into Jo's arms, who in turn had to grab a hold of the table so as to not fall over. Natalie peeled Tootie off of Jo before giving her friend a hug as well. "How's LA? How was your flight? Was it long?" Tootie rambled. "Do you have jet lag? Sit down." She grabbed a chair that Natalie had pulled out and forced Jo into it. Natalie glared at her as she made her way around the table to sit next to Blair. "Make yourself comfortable." Tootie plopped down into her seat and rested her chin in her hands. "So, how's Rick? How's married life?" she asked.

"Which one do you want me to answer first?" Jo chuckled.

Before Tootie could answer, Natalie leaned over and placed a hand over her mouth. "Don't give her the option. We'll be here forever." Tootie slapped Natalie's hand away. "How is everything going?"

Jo briefly glanced down at the ring on her finger. It glittered lightly underneath the sunlight, flickering every few seconds. She moved it slightly with her thumb before offering up a smile. "Great. Things don't feel too different. It's like coming home to you guys, but…my husband instead."

"Plus you get to have sex," Natalie added.

"Natalie!" Blair and Tootie shouted.

"What?" she asked. "It's not like you weren't thinking it." Natalie then sent a smile to Jo across the table. "Don't tell me that's not true."

Before Jo could answer, she felt a hand on her shoulder. She frowned and looked up, ready to berate the person impeding on her person space but found herself swallowing hard instead.

"Hey JP," a girl said gently. Her light brown eyes were narrowed,

"…Hey," Jo said quietly. She got up out of her chair and faced the girl. She held her arms out, going to move in for a hug, but stopped herself at the last minute. Instead, Jo grabbed the girls hand and shook it firmly. "How…how have you been?"

"Good." The girl tucked a long piece of brown hair behind her ear with her empty hand. With her other hand, she gradually tightened her grip on Jo's, tensing her muscles. "Not as good as you, from what I hear," she said firmly, before turning and smiling brightly at everyone. "And look, the rumors are true."

"I'm really not worth talking about," Jo said. She tried to pull her hand back, but the girl tightened her grip even more. Jo forced herself not to wince. She took in a deep breath before sending the girl a harsh glare. The girl chuckled softly before finally releasing her hand.

"Of course you are," the girl insisted.

"No, she really isn't," Blair interjected. Jo groaned before rolling her eyes. "I mean, sure she found someone who actually wanted to put a ring on her finger, and sure she has a decent career as a police officer. But, if you take all that away, she's just like the rest of us." Blair smiled. "Well, almost."

"Blair, knock it off," Jo insisted through gritted teeth.

"Why don't you introduce us to your friend?" Natalie asked, slowly looking back and forth at the two of them.

Tootie smiled brightly and gave a small wave. "I'm Toot-"

"These are my friends," Jo said quickly. She licked her lips before putting on a half-smile. Placing her hand on the girl's shoulder, she gave it a gentle shake. "We're actually a little busy right now." Narrowing her eyes a little bit, she tightened her grip on her shoulder. "I'll catch you later," she said under her breath.

"I know you will," the girl answered just as quietly. She then flashed a bright smile and gave a small wave to everyone else at the table. "Nice…somewhat meeting all of you," she said with a laugh. "My name is Brittany by the way." She then turned towards Jo and quirked an eyebrow. "See you later, JP."

"Bye," Jo muttered before dropping back into her seat. She let loose a deep sigh before reaching up and rubbing her temples.

"JP?" Blair repeated, wrinkling her nose. "I don't think I've ever heard you call yourself that. Of course, why would you?"

"It was a nickname I tried out," she said, clearing her throat. Jo sat up in her seat crossing one leg over the other. She picked up a menu from the table, skimming it. "…before Jo." A second later she dropped the menu back onto the table before clapping her hands together. "Hey, why don't we go and grab that ice cream now?"

"But, we can get ice cream here," Natalie pointed out.

"You picked this place, remember?" Tootie said.

"I know." Jo tapped her hands against the arm rests. She glanced over her shoulder, licking her lips. "The things is….I just remembered a better place, closer to my home." With that, she got up from her seat and picked up her bag. Tossing it over her shoulder, she motioned for her friends to join her. "Come on."

"What's bothering her?" Natalie turned to Blair.

"I don't know," Blair answered with a shrug. "But don't worry about its Jo. What isn't bothering her?" She, Natalie, and Tootie all got up from their seats and started to follow Jo out of the café area and down the street. The three were jostled among the crowded streets as they raced to keep up with their friend. Blair scooted on the balls of her feet so she wouldn't scuff up the bottoms of her shoes.

"Hang on, you guys," Tootie called out. She slowed to a stop and moved to the side of the street before bending down and re-tying her shoelace. She glanced up briefly, trying to keep her friends in her line of sight. After a moment, she looked up once more, glancing at the back of a woman. Her long, wavy brown hair flowed down her back and over a grey fur coat.

The fur coat was tattered, with many spots threadbare. The coat looked two to three sizes too small. It barely covered the back of the woman's dress, which was fairly short to begin with. Tootie slowly got to her feet, squinting, trying to get a closer look at the woman.

"Tootie!" Natalie shouted, reappearing next to her. "Hurry up! You know how Jo gets." She grabbed her friend by the arm and pulled her up to her feet. "What are you looking at?"

"Nothing…" Tootie muttered, shaking her head. "I thought I saw someone I knew."


	3. III

“Ma, I’m home!” Jo called out as she opened the apartment door. After waiting a few seconds, she listened intently, nodding in understanding when she heard the sound of running water. She ushered in her friends inside before closing the door. “I made it.”

“That’s great, Jo, I’ll be out in a second,” her mother, Rose Polniaczek answered from the bathroom. 

“Take your time.” Jo tossed her bags by the front door before crossing the room and making her way to the kitchen. She draped her jacket on the back of a chair and dropped the mail onto the table. She turned towards her friends and raised a shoulder. “It’s not much, but its home,” she said quietly.

Blair wrinkled her nose as she looked around. “Its-”

Natalie quickly elbowed her in the side. “A place for us to stay as we wait to check into our hotel rooms,” she said through clenched teeth. Blair looked at her in confusion, but quickly gained a look of understanding as Natalie jerked her head in Jo’s general direction. 

“Quaint,” Blair finished over-enthusiastically. “It suits you.”

“Ha, ha,” Jo muttered as she leafed through the mail she placed on the table. After finding nothing of importance, she moved towards the sink and turned on the water before beginning to wash the dishes. 

“Where can I put my jacket?” Blair asked as she slipped her arms out of the sleeves. Jo looked over her shoulder, before glancing around the room. 

“The arm or the back of any chair,” she gruffly answered.

“Ah,” Blair said. She quickly placed her jacket back on. She then walked around the back of the couch and took a seat next to Tootie. She grunted as the cushion almost collapsed underneath her weight. As she tried to straighten herself, her knees knocked into the coffee table in front of her. “Well, it’s a good thing we didn’t bring our bags with us and just left them in my daddy’s office at his company. There wouldn’t be any place for us to stand, let alone sit in here.”

“Blair,” Tootie snapped. 

“Give it a rest, will ya?” Jo called out.

Blair looked to her right and flinched when she noticed Natalie giving her a harsh glare. “I’m sorry,” she said quietly. “I didn’t mean it.”

“Yes, you did,” Jo sighed. She finished cleaning up the last of the dishes before wiping her hands on the dishtowel. “Unfortunately, I got used to it.” She tossed the damp towel across the room. “You are who you are.” Tootie, Natalie, and Jo burst out into laughter as it struck Blair on the side of her face. 

Rose exited the bathroom, running her hands down the skirt of her waitressing uniform, smoothing out the wrinkles. “Jo, how are you?” she greeted her daughter, quickly pulling her into a hug. 

“Ma!” Jo cried. She enveloped her mom in a tight hug, burying her face in her mother’s neck, inhaling deeply. “I missed you,” she said quietly. 

“I missed you too, sweetie.” When they broke away, Rose held her daughter’s face in her hands, and pressed a light kiss to her forehead before addressing everyone else in the room. “Hello girls, how are you?” She then moved into the kitchen and reached into a cupboard for a few glasses.

“It’s nice to see you again, Rose,” Blair greeted her with a wave and bright smile. Jo rolled her eyes at the exchange before joining her mother in the kitchen. While staying in Peekskill, Blair got really close to Jo’s parents, so much so that she noticed sometimes her mother and father would treat her slightly better than herself. Whenever Jo called them out on it, Rose would always remind her that she “can’t spoil her own child”. Jo went to the refrigerator and pulled out a pitcher of water. 

“How are you enjoying your trip so far?” Rose asked. She held each glass as Jo poured the ice cold water into them. 

“We’re not,” Tootie mumbled. 

“Tootie!” Blair and Natalie snapped in unison. 

“Sorry!” Tootie turned in her seat to address Rose. Jo sneered before handing her and Blair a glass of water. Rose crossed the room and gave one to Natalie. She then began to gather a jacket and purse. “But we meet up at an ice cream place that Jo picks, she was late-”

“A few minutes,” Jo cried.

“Then she talks to some girl named Brittany and doesn’t introduce us; her _best friends_ she’s known for eight years, and then-”

“Brittany?!” Rose repeated. 

“Tootie!” Jo groaned.

Blair let out a loud sneeze. She waved her hand in the air. “I think I’m allergic to something in here.” She leaned forward and ran her finger across the coffee table, wincing at the dirt left on her finger. “Don’t you dust?”

“ _Blair!_ ” Tootie snapped. 

“Natalie!” Natalie called out raising her hand in the air. Everyone else in the room turned towards her, looking at her in annoyance or confusion. “I didn’t want to be left out,” she muttered, raising a shoulder. 

Jo rolled her eyes and joined her mother’s side, placing both hands on her shoulders.

“Don’t worry, Mom. I’m not hanging out with Brittany anymore,” she said reassuringly. “I’m actually surprised that she remembered me.”

“You’re just doing so well,” Rose said as she put on her jacket. She tossed her purse over her shoulder and plucked an apartment key from the table near the door. “I don’t want you to go backwards and mess things up again.”

“Gee, and I thought you were proud of me,” Jo said sarcastically. 

“I am, you know that,” Rose said gently. She patted her daughter lightly on the cheek before offering up a smile. “I’m sorry to cut this short, but I have to go to work.”

“I understand.”

“What I don’t understand is that we still don’t have cream,” Tootie mumbled. 

“I didn’t know the other place had closed down.” Jo playfully tugged on Tootie’s ponytail as she re-entered the kitchen. “There’s a grocery store around the corner. I’ll go get you some.” She slipped on her jacket and tapped the pockets to make sure she had her keys, before joining her mother by the door. “Make yourselves at home. I’ll walk you out, ma.”

“See you later, girls.”

“Bye, Rose.” Blair sniffed.

Jo held the door open for her mother, and guided her out the door, placing her hand on her mother’s small back. She then turned and locked the door, before turning around and rolling her eyes upon seeing her mother regarding her with narrow eyes and her arms folded over her chest. 

“Jo, I want you to stay away from Brittany,” Rose instructed. 

“Mom, it’s not like I’m going to go and find her,” Jo sighed. The two walked side by side as they made their way down the narrow stairs and into the apartment building lobby. They waved to the landlord before stepping out the door. It closed with a loud click behind them. Jo instinctively reached out and tugged on the handle, checking to make sure the door was locked. 

“You know what happened last time,” Rose pointed out. “She’s part of the reason I suggested you go to Eastland.”

“Suggested?” Jo snorted. “You practically forced me to go.”

“You scored a 98 on the entrance exam. If you really didn’t want to go, you could have failed it.”

Jo opened her mouth to respond, but quickly found that she didn’t have one. “…Touché,” she admitted. 

“She’s just…bad news for you,” Rose said quietly. 

“You thought the same thing about Eddie and now look where he is.”

“You two almost ran off and got married, and then he got married while in the Navy and lied to you about it,” her mother listed off. 

“Again…touché.” Jo clenched her jaw. It was one thing to have to admit that she’s wrong, but it’s another thing when her mother is able to come up with responses faster than she could form her own. “We’re still friends though.”

“Jo, promise me.” Rose reached out and gripped her daughter’s chin, forcing her to look into her face. “You’ll have nothing to do with the Young Diablos anymore. I don’t want that stuff in my house. Not again.”

Jo reached up and placed her hand on top of her mother’s, gently rubbing her thumb against the back of her hand. “I won’t, ma. I promise,” she said quietly. “I still feel bad about what happened the last time. You’re going to be safe.”

Rose half-smiled before looking up and down the street. “I’d be safer if I were able to move.”

“What about the money I’ve been sending you?” Jo questioned. 

“It’s helped…but we’ve been in debt for so long…” Rose trailed off when she spotted the look of concern on her daughter’s face. It quickly changed to a look of determination, one Rose quickly recognized. As much as she loved her daughter, once she got her mind on trying to fix things, and her pride getting in the way, the situation for her would tend to get worse before it got better, even with the good intentions behind it. “That’s nothing for you to worry about,” she instructed. “Enjoy your trip.”

“I will, ma,” Jo answered with a nod. “Have a good day at work.” She placed a light kiss on her mother’s cheek before rushing down the stairs and heading off down the street, in the opposite direction of her mother. After a few moments, she glanced over her shoulder and watched as her mother disappeared around the corner. 

Jo then quickened her steps, ducking into an alleyway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Follow my new twitter, [@AngelofStarzFFN](https://twitter.com/AngelofStarzFFN), for updates on all of my works!


	4. IV

After a fifteen-minute walk at a fast pace, Jo turned down one more alleyway and came across a door at the back of a building. A light-bulb shined dimly above the door but it didn't do much to bring awareness to the area. Jo quickly checked over her shoulder, before stepping up to the door and knocking rapidly three times. She then paused, and knocked two more times.

She heard movement on the other side of the door. Jo quickly put her hands up and behind her head before turning in a circle twice. A moment later, a lock clicked, and the door swung wide open.

"JP, it's so good to see you again," Brittany said brightly. "I'm surprised you remember this place." She stuck her head out of the door and glanced around. She shivered in disgust as a rat jumped out of a trashcan and ran into the darkness. "The dump it is."

"Knock of the act, Brittany," Jo said harshly. "Are you going to let me in or what?"

Brittany's smile instantly faded. She brushed her hair away from her shoulder. Jo caught a glimpse of a YD tattooed on the side of her neck before her hair fell back into place. "Fine. We've been waiting for you." She sneered. Brittany stepped to the side to allow Jo room into the building. "Years."

"Yeah, yeah," Jo muttered. Brittany reached out to grab Jo's elbow. The minute she made contact, Jo roughly pulled her arm away, glaring harshly. Brittany raised an eyebrow in response and smirked before brushing past Jo, leading her down the dark hallway. Their footsteps echoed but was quickly drowned out by the loud voices in the room at the end of the hall.

Jo coughed as the smell of cigarette smoke wafted up into her nose. She waved her hand in front of her face as she followed Brittany through the smog. She stopped at the doorway of a large room. The wallpaper was peeling, the upholstery on the furniture was stained or hand numerous holes, and cobwebs lined the ceiling. Empty cans and bottles of alcohol littered the floor.

"Hey everyone, look who I found," Brittany loudly announced. She waved her arm to present Jo as if she were the word wall on Wheel of Fortune, Brittany playing the part of Vanna White.

Jo instantly stiffened as all the occupants of the room paused. She heard the sounds of bottles moving on the floor, and made sure not to look down to see what vermin was living among the trash. Her eyes stayed on the man seated in an arm chair, flocked on each side by beautiful girls, roughly her own age. The guy stared right back before smiling, showing his yellowing teeth, only glowing silver from a cap.

"So, the rumors are true," his gruff voice caused the hair on the back of Jo's neck to stand. He moved to put out a cigarette in a dish one of the girls held. From across the room, Jo could smell chewing tobacco and alcohol. It was what he practically bathed in, since they were young teenagers running around and shoplifting from corner stores for the hell of it. "JP decided to grace us with her presence once more."

"Nice to see you all again," Jo said sarcastically. She took a quick scan around the room. Including Brittany, only the guy, his two girls, and two other young men were in the room. The two men were standing behind the arm chair, their hands clasped in front of them. They stood tall and still, like bodyguards. Brittany collapsed on a nearby couch, rubbing her hands expectantly. "Where is everyone else? Or did they-"

"Leave?" the guy interrupted. He threw his head back and laughed loudly. One of the girls around him took a glance at Jo, raising an eyebrow. Jo rolled her eyes before raising her hand and flipping her off. "No, you were the only one," the guy said as soon as he calmed down. "Well, you and Didi."

"I thought it was Double D," Brittany called out, watching Jo carefully.

Jo took a deep breath, her hands clenched into fists. "His name's Eddie. You know that," she said gruffly."

"Yeah, I know." The guy smiled. "I just like seeing you get worked up. It does something to me." He slowly licked is lips. Jo shook her head. She looked over the shoulder and down the hallway, checking to see if that was the only exit. If there was one thing she learned while being a part of the Young Diablos, is that you always look for an alternate escape route, just in case.

"Look, I only came here to tell you to leave me friends alone." Jo took the time to stare harshly at everyone in the room. Her anger rose as Brittany scoffed and the leader of the Young Diablos barely flinched. He raised an eyebrow in response before shrugging.

"We haven't done anything," he said.

"I know you will."

"Why would we?" he asked.

Jo wanted to respond but kept her lips pulled tightly together. Saying the words out loud would mean she is admitting the one cardinal rule of the Young Diablos: don't turn your back on your family.

At the time, the Young Diablos were more her family than her own. Her father and mother fought all the time, constant threats of divorce thrown around as normal insults. Her father drifted in and out of the city, trying to find work and doing long haul trucking jobs. Her mother was forced to take care of Jo by taking on job after job after job that Jo felt like a burden in her own home. While she did everything she could to help, her mother refused to accept it, making Jo feel even worse.

She and her boyfriend at the time, Eddie, had ended up falling in with the Young Diablos through Gloria and her friend Brittany. While Jo never did get along well with Brittany, she did enjoy her time with Gloria. The two grew up a few houses down and understood everything going on in each other's lives, the struggles and dreams of wanting to get out the Bronx, even though they loved the city.

"Why would we harm anyone, Jo?" he pressed. Jo flinched at the use of her name. While with the Young Diablos, everyone aside from Eddie, called her JP. It was the easiest way to keep her regular life and her gang life separate.

"…Because I left," she finally admitted, instantly hating the way her voice shook. Jo was always one to have a tough exterior, even if she was shaking on the inside. Growing up the way she did, she always hid her real feelings until she locked herself into her room for the night and cried herself to sleep, pressing her face into her pillow so even her mother wouldn't hear her.

"No, you didn't leave," the guy said. He suddenly stuck his foot out and kicked a nearby table, causing it to fall over. It crashed loudly to the floor. Brittany's smile instantly faded. She sat up straight from her seat on the couch, her elbows resting on her knees, alert and ready to pounce. "You ran away. With your tail between your legs."

"You betrayed us all," Brittany commented, before nodding over to the guy. "You betrayed G."

G snapped his fingers. The two guys standing over him quickly moved. One pulled a cigarette and lighter out of his pockets, lit up one, and then placed it between G's fingers. The other quickly grabbed a chair and placed it in front of G in the arm chair.

G waved the two girls away. "Sit," he instructed, pointing to the chair in front of him. Jo moved from the door way before dropping into the seat. G waved his hand in the air. The two girls and the two bodyguards quickly shuffled out of the room. Brittany remained behind. She had pulled a folder out from underneath the sofa before handing it over to G.

"You knew the proper way to leave but you decided to run out into the night and never come back," G stated.

"I went to school," Jo said.

"We've heard." Brittany rolled her eyes as G opened the folder. "You've made something of your life, didn't you?"

"Graduated as valedictorian from Eastland School for Girls. Graduated as valedictorian from Langley College. Spent some time as a teacher, and even did a little work in computers out in California," he listed off.

Jo barely heard his words over the loud roaring sound in her ears. Everything she had worked so hard for, to be able to escape her past, had come flooding back. She closed her eyes and inhaled slowly, silently wishing she hadn't agreed to come on this trip, wishing that she hadn't argued with her husband and pushed him away. She wished she had been the Jo she took years to create instead of her old self.

"You had a job as a social worker before marrying a volunteer named Rick Bonner. The two of you moved to Los Angeles," G concluded, closing the folder with a snap. Jo slowly opened her eyes, her eyebrows furrowed. She turned to glance at Brittany who, in turn, looked away and found sudden interest with a loose thread on the couch.

"How did you-"

"We have eyes and ears everywhere, even in California," G answered before taking a long drag from his cigarette. He leaned forward and blew the smoke directly into Jo's face. She held her breath, forcing herself not to couch. She willed herself not to blink as the smoke stung her eyes, causing them to glisten.

"My neighbor," Jo muttered.

"I always knew you were smart." G clapped. "You put that one together quickly." One of his eyes twitched as he took another drag. This time he forced the smog out of his nose, causing it to roll over his chest. "Does your husband-"

"Leave him out of this," Jo snapped, "and my friends, and my ma."

"We didn't want to bring them into it." G shrugged. "Now that you're back, you have a job to finish."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Follow my new twitter, [@AngelofStarzFFN](https://twitter.com/AngelofStarzFFN), for updates on all of my works!


	5. V

Jo’s hands shook as she pulled a key out of her pocket. She quickly stuck it into the lock and twisted it to the right. The keys slipped from her fingers and fell to the ground. She groaned, before plucking them up off the ground and storming into the apartment.

Blair looked up from the magazine she was reading and watched as Jo closed the apartment door with her foot. Her left arm was lined with plastic bags. Jo tossed her keys onto a nearby table before shuffling towards the kitchen. “Do you need help?” Blair asked.

“Nah, I got it.” Jo dropped the bags onto the table before pulling her arms out of the bag handles. She began to pull various grocery items out of the bags. She stopped when she removed a pint of vanilla ice cream. She lifted her head and looked around the small apartment. “Where’s Nat and Tootie?” she asked. 

“They went to the hotel.” Blair closed the magazine and tossed it onto the coffee table before getting up and walking over to the kitchen. She crossed her arms over her chest, watching as Jo moved around to put the groceries away. “Tootie was getting tired of waiting for her ice cream.”

“Well, it’ll be here when she wants it.” Jo placed the ice cream into the freezer and then wiped her hands on her jeans to rid of the stickiness on her fingers. Some of the ice cream had melted on her way home and spilled onto the side of the carton. “Why didn’t you go with them?”

Blair raised an eyebrow, giving her a look of disbelief. She uncrossed her arms before grabbing hold of the back of a chair placed at the kitchen table. “Because I was waiting for you,” she answered. 

Jo looked at her before shrugging. She gathered up all but one of the plastic bags and crushed them into a ball. She then placed it into the last plastic bag and hung it off the door handle leading to the pantry. “Okay, so I took a bit longer than planned, and now her ice cream is soup. She won’t notice after it freezes overnight.” 

Jo moved to walk around the table, but stopped when Blair reached out and grabbed her by the arm. Jo rolled her eyes before looking at Blair face on. The two stared at each other in silence. Blair narrowed her eyes, and clenched her jaw. Jo sighed hard, rolling her eyes once more, before pulling Blair’s hand off her arm. She walked over to the couch before collapsing onto it. Blair perched herself next to Jo, sitting at the edge of her seat. 

Blair only gave that hard look when she wanted something to go her way. Ironically, Jo noticed that she was the only person to be on the receiving end. Normally, when Blair wanted something she’d just have to giggle and toss her hair around, or purse her lips into a pout. Whenever Jo was on the receiving end of the look, she found herself cracking underneath the hard stare. Though, it would on average take five or six minutes of stubbornness before Jo gave in. 

“I wanted to make sure you were okay.” Blair clasped her hands together and rested them in her lap. Jo grunted, shaking her head. She stared at her reflection in the blank tv screen. “What’s wrong?” she pressed. 

“Nothing.” Jo turned in her seat. She rested her arm along the back of the couch before resting her head on her bicep. “I’m fine,” she insisted. 

“Jo!”

“What?” she asked. 

“You’ve been…off, ever since you arrived in town.” Blair slipped off her shoes and leaned back on the couch. She pulled her knees up, saying a quick apology as she bumped into Jo. “What’s going on?”

“Nothing.”

“Jo, how long have we been friends?”

“Hmmm.” Jo tapped a finger against her chin in thought. “About eight years.”

Blair’s jaw dropped. She quickly shook her head, her blond ringlets gently striking the sides of her face. “No, it’s ten.”

“No, it’s eight,” she insisted. “I couldn’t stand you the first two years I was at Eastland.” Blair closed her mouth into a front, which quickly turned into a pout. Jo laughed through her nose. She pulled the pillow out from behind her back and swatted Blair’s side with it. Blair quickly wrenched it from her hand and threw it back at her. 

The two paused when they heard faint gunshots from outside. Blair moved to get up off the couch, but Jo quickly pulled her back down. A baby then began to cry from upstairs. A loud argument filtered from the apartment next door.

“It sure is lively here,” Blair commented. 

“My mom won’t be home till late, so I should lock the door,” Jo pointed out. She ran a hand over her face. It was then Blair noticed how tired and worn out Jo looked. Someone who is normally lively and full of fire, just seemed to be wilting right in front of her eyes. “You staying?” Jo asked. 

“You didn’t have much to say about it earlier today,” Blair suddenly said. Jo looked at her in confusion until Blair pointed to the diamond ring on her finger. Jo looked at the piece of jewelry before making a sound of discomfort. 

“So?”

“So, you’re a newlywed,” Blair pointed out. “Most would be over the moon, constantly wanting to be by their partners side.”

“Well, I’m different.”

“Yeah, I figured that out when we first met.” Blair stuck her tongue out. Jo let out a loud laugh. “Why are you dodging the question?” Jo stopped laughing.

“I’m not,” Jo said, a bit of an edge to her voice. “There’s just not a lot to talk about.” She gave Blair a hard look, silently indicating that she didn’t want the topic to be pressed. Blair sighed, before raising a shoulder. She then nodded once in confirmation. “So, what’s your answer? You staying or going?”

“I’ll stay, if I can ask one more question?”

“I won’t promise an answer,” Jo warned her. 

“Yeah, I’m used to that,” Blair commented. She licked her lips before leaning forward a bit. She gently placed her hand on top of Jo’s. “I-I can’t explain it, but ever since we met that Brittany girl…” she trailed off. Jo waved her hand in the air, motioning for Blair to continue. “Jo, are you in trouble?”

“No, Blair. I’m not in trouble,” Jo answered, her voice suddenly soft. She smiled, albeit a bit hesitantly at first. “I’m sorry for worrying you. I promise, everything will be okay.”

Blair’s right eyebrow twitched. “If you need to talk about anything-”

“I know,” Jo interrupted. “Thanks, Blair,” she whispered. Blair nodded once, pulling her hand away. Jo held her arm out and leaned forward, initiating a hug. Blair wrapped her arms around Jo’s lower back before burying her face into her neck, inhaling deeply. 

Blair tensed when her fingers brushed against something hard along the back waistband of Jo’s pants. Jo, feeling her hesitation, pulled away. She jumped up from the couch before checking her watch. “What’s that?” Blair asked. 

Jo walked over and made quick work of the three locks on the door. After making sure they were fastened, she grabbed the doorknob, twisted it, and pulled hard, double checking that the door was locked. “My wallet,” Jo muttered. “These jeans don’t have back pockets.”

Blair cleared her throat before getting up to her feet. She dropped the pillow onto the couch before fluffing up her hair. “I’m going to take a shower. Do you have clothes I can borrow?” she asked. 

“Sure, follow me.” Jo quickly made her way down a small hallway to one of the two doors tucked in the back corner of the apartment. She flicked on the light and smiled happily upon entering her bedroom. A small pile of folded clothes was placed on the edge of her bed, along with a few boxes of candies. “I’ll have to thank my mom when she gets back.” Jo picked up a box of candy, ripped open the top, and poured a small amount into her mouth.

Blair continued to stand by the door as Jo made her way over to the dresser. Jo placed the box on top of her dresser and began to pull open a few drawers. Blair was quiet as she looked around the small room. She smiled at the numerous photos her Jo and her mother, herself, Natalie, Tootie, Mrs.Garret, and a few of their other friends from Eastland and Langley. Blair’s smile quickly faded when she looked down at the bed. The small twin sized bed. “Um…Jo…”

“I was going to take the couch,” Jo said over her shoulder. She pulled out a large t-shirt, a pair of leggings, and a pair of underwear from various drawers before balling them up and tossing them over to Blair.

“Oh…right.” Blair nodded. “Thanks.” She tucked the bundle of clothing underneath her arm, and ducked her head. Jo blinked and did a double take as Blair brushed some of her long hair out of her face. A moment ago, she could have sworn she saw her friend’s cheekbones start to turn a light shade of pink. 

“Unfortunately, I don’t have a bra for you that’d fit. So, if you’re fine with…”

“Oh, yeah.” Blair shrugged. “That’s okay.” She smiled brightly and said quick words of thank you before heading towards the bathroom. A few moments later the shower kicked on. 

Jo pushed her bedroom door with her foot as she crossed her arms over her front, grabbed the bottom of her shirt before pulling it up and over her head. She tossed the article of clothing onto her bed and readjusted one of the straps on the sports bra she was wearing. Jo then carefully moved the piles of clothing and candy from her bed on to her desk. 

Reaching behind her, Jo plucked the gun from the back waistband of her jeans. She looked at the weapon in her hand, quadruple checking the safety. She pressed a button on the side and caught the magazine in her hand. No bullets were in the case. She snapped the magazine back into place and was about to move the slide to check the barrel but stopped when she heard movement outside of her door. 

“Hey, Jo…” The door creaked open. Jo quickly slipped the gun underneath her pillow before straightening. Blair stopped short and gasped loudly before turning around. Jo looked at the pillow, making sure the gun was adequately hidden, before facing the doorway. 

“What?” she asked. Jo tried to keep the irritation out of her voice. She reached up and pulled her long hair into a ponytail before sweeping it over her left shoulder. Anything, to keep her hands busy to stop from shaking. 

“I’m so sorry,” Blair apologized, her words rushed. She still refused to turn around. She dropped the pair of leggings and bent down to pick them up. While standing back up, the t-shirt spilled out of her hands. 

“Sorry for what?” Jo pressed. She quickly unbuttoned her jeans and slipped them down past her hips. Blair had begun to turn at that moment. She made a sound of surprise before facing forward once more. Jo snickered, stepping out of her jeans. She grabbed a pair of boxers from a drawer and slipped them on over her underwear. 

“I should have knocked.”

“We shared a room for years. It’s not like you haven’t seen me change clothes before,” Jo reminded her. She couldn’t help but chuckle when she noticed she was still talking to Blair’s back. Jo walked over and placed a hand on Blair’s shoulder, gently pulling. “You can turn around.”

“This is different,” Blair insisted. Her eyes quickly flickered down to Jo’s stomach. Due to police training, and just being interested in sports and the outdoors, Jo’s abs were on full display. Blair’s eyes traced every line, stopping as she reached the waistband of Jo’s boxers. 

“How?” Jo asked. She gathered up her dirty clothes before tossing them into a nearby hamper. She then pulled another t-shirt out of a drawer before slipping it on over her head. “What’s changed?”

“…We’ve changed. You’re entitled to your privacy. We all are.” Blair shyly looked down at her hands. “I was just going to ask for some soap.” She cleared her throat. “I couldn’t find any in the bathroom.”

“Right.” Jo brushed past Blair and entered the bathroom. She stopped by the doorway and pulled at the bottom of the mirror hanging on the wall. The glass swung forward and Jo grabbed a box from the hidden medicine cabinet. “Here you go. You just didn’t know where to look.” Jo wiped some condensation off her forehead while stepping out of the bathroom. “I’ll be out of the room in a few minutes.”

As she passed Blair, Jo tossed the box of soap into the air. She smiled brightly when it landed on top of the pile of clothing in Blair’s arms. “Thanks. Sweet dreams, Jo,” Blair called over her shoulder. After the bathroom door closed, Jo sighed hard, glancing at her open bedroom door. She stared at her bed, noticing the very end of the gun from beneath a pillow. 

“I don’t dream anymore,” Jo muttered.


End file.
